PM’s Lies about a Brexit Dividend will not save NHS or Southport Hospital
The Prime Minister’s pathetic lies about a ‘Brexit dividend’ will not save the NHS according to Southport Lib Dem NHS spokeperson Councillor Tony Dawson. Nor will it guarantee the future of Southport Hospital about which there has been a deafening silence for months.
“Southport Hospital is particularly vulnerable as it is ‘out on a limb’ says councillor Dawson. While it may not go down in one big crash, it is potentially subject to ‘a salami slicing’ to maintain money for services provided elsewhere.”
Councillor Dawson quotes the editorial article in ‘The Times’ newspaper today which describes Prime Minister Theresa May’s talk of a ‘Brexit dividend’ as being “as mendacious as the lie on the big red bus”.
“There is no Brexit dividend. There will be no financial Brexit Dividend.” he says.
” There will only be a sizable ‘Brexit Burden’ and the only issue is as to how big a burden this will be and which sections of Britain’s population will be made to bear most of it. This is why Jeremy Corby’s perpetual dithering on the matter has been so dangerous.”
Mrs May’s claim that money released by the UK leaving the EU would meet a significant part of the spending commitment is being widely dismissed both by economists and MPs.
Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, who is also a GP and who chairs the Commons Health Select Committee, has gone public describing talk of a “Brexit dividend” as “tosh”, which “treats the public as fools”. Dr Woolaston says:
“Don’t even begin to swallow any rubbish that this will be some Brexit bonanza. In reality, the tax rises and borrowing will need to be higher as a result,”
And Councillor Dawson chides the Prime Minister for pretending that all will be well with the NHS as a result of ‘some magic money tree’.
“Firstly, he says, “Mrs May’s promised £3.4 per cent rise in funding per year is not sufficient to sustain the Health Service’s needs and below the NHS’ historic average annual funding rises throughout its 70 year history.”
“It will be an effective CUT in the NHS funding needed to meet the growing elderly population, especially if there is not also a rise in the funding of social care and a speedy national integration of Health & Social Care provision.”
“Secondly, the money needs to be found and found now – and the government must come clean where it is coming from. No more repetition of the lies on the big red bus.”
“Part of this funding needs to be made by reversing the tax give-aways to the very rich. But it is quite likely that there may have to be an effective 1 per cent rise in income tax or National Insurance as Vince Cable has been saying for some time.”
More: Cllr Tony Dawson on: 0789 747 9012